Master of My Fate
by LifeinWatercolor
Summary: What if, during the tornado, Elphaba dropped the Grimmerie? And what if that book landed in the hands of a girl who would soon become very important in the rebellion against the Wizard? This girl's name is Aylen, and right now, she's not very important. In fact, she's a slave. But all that changes when she decides to defy her fate and fight for her freedom, alongside new friends.
1. Chapter 1

**Master of My Fate**

**AN: I take a deep breath and step onto the stage, the audience waiting for me with baited breath. "Ladies and Gentlemen," I say, bowing low. "This is my first fan fiction that I've ever written. I am quite proud of it, and, due to encouragement, I've decided to publish the first chapter. This story has a character of my own creation, but it is woven into the story of the Wicked Witch of the West and the rebellion against the Wizard. Now, my character is in debt slavery, which is a form of modern day slavery. I highly suggest that you watch the short movie 'Kavi,' as this movie explains how slavery can stretch across generations and how it has been allowed to remain because of the power of money. Also, there are some language terms we must address. 'Baba' means 'father' in Swahili, and 'Maman' means 'mother' in French." I bow again, and am about to step off the stage when something else occurs to me. "Oh! Please review, as I want to hear your constructive criticism and thoughts. Thank you." I step off the stage into the darkness. The curtains open.**

**Chapter One: Your Bones (Of Monsters and Men):**

I knew that something was wrong. Even a mutt like me knew that the wind never blew like this before. I stood in front of milord's stables, watching the sky turn a sickening greenish yellow, the wind whipping my rust red dreadlocks into my face. I wasn't the only one watching-all of Muchkinland was transfixed by the whirlwind as it neared the city and the Governor's Mansion. Even from this distance (milord's estate being several miles from the mansion), I could tell that there was _something_ vaguely dark and rectangular in the mass of swirling wind.

Then, without warning, the wind exploded across the land, forcing me to the ground as the cornstalks whipped frantically. When I looked up, all was still-too still. I didn't know much about magic, but my maman always told me that magic leaves traces that a person could find if they looked hard enough. Sure enough, I could see the faint shimmer in the air above what used to be the Governor's Mansion (now occupied with a farmhouse of all things). To the untrained eye, it might look like the heat rising. But I knew. That tornado wasn't natural.

"Hey! You there, Mutt!" The words of the overseer cut through my thoughts. Turning, I saw him sneer down at me from his horse (he never left the animal, because, being a Munchkin, I would have towered over him). "Didn't you check the horses?!" he yelled, glaring down at me. I shook my head. "Well, get going! I don't know why I have to deal with a filthy debt slave like you." He spat, riding off towards the fields.

I looked down at my hands, rough calluses and thin scars covering the dark skin. Even though slavery had been technically illegal since the beginning of Oz, wealthy landowners could still gain debt slaves: offer to pay a starving family food in exchange for working on his land. The family would pay off their debts as they worked-supposedly. Yet, the family would have to add on debt for food, clothing, and taxes to the lord. Eventually, the family would be in so much debt that the lord would own each and every person in that family, including future generations. This is what happened to my family: my great-grandfather's family had been tricked into debt slaver. And now, three generations later, that debt still stands, binding me just as effectively as an iron chain.

As I checked the horses (who were just a little spooked), the road leading to the Governor's Mansion was becoming packed. People were shouting and singing that the Governor was dead, killed by a falling house. I watched as milord reprimanded the overseer for watching the ruckus, and couldn't help but smile as he spluttered an apology, his face bright red with embarrassment. As the overseer unfortunately looked over at that moment, the smile wasn't wiped off my face quickly enough. The overseer's face turned from red to puce faster than a traffic light as he stalked over. But as milord was watching, he couldn't beat me for anything reasonable. So, purple with rage, he pointed at me, then at a nearby pitchfork, then the cornfield before stalking away. Wordlessly, I picked up the pitchfork and walked into the cornfield.

Here, the annoying singing and shouting faded as I walked further and further away. However, I wasn't expecting to walk into a black shoulder bag lying on the ground. Immediately, I saw the shimmer around it- there were traces of magic here. Warily, I looked around before cautiously poking the bag with the pitchfork. Nothing came biting or snarling out at me, so I bent down and picked it up.

Inside was a large, old book covered in writing that I couldn't understand. Yet, as I held the book, I could see the shimmer spreading from the book to my hands, sliding around my arms, my torso, and my legs. Quickly, I shut the book, but before I could move, I heard yelling. Peeking around a stalk of corn, I saw two women standing, looking like they were ready to start going at each other like wild dogs. I recognized both of the women immediately. The blonde woman, with her sparkling wand, was obviously Glinda the Good. The other, with her pointed hat and her striking green skin, was none other than the Wicked Witch of the West.

As the two witches circled each other, continuing to argue, I examined the Wicked Witch of the West. If you looked just at her skin color and the fact that she was absolutely furious, you would assume that she wanted to kill Glinda. Unfortunately, I couldn't see her face clearly, just her long black hair and the green skin of her hands. As I listened closer, however, I could hear the grief and guilt twisting her voice as she shouted. "I wanted something to remember her by!" Her? Then I remembered. She and her sister were the Wicked Witches of the East and West.

"Elphie, it's dreadful! I know! To have a house fall on you! But accidents will happen!" Elphie? Why did Glinda call her Elphie? And why have I heard that name before? As the witches started hurling insults at each other, my mind started to wander, in spite of the fascination catfight in front of me. Elphie sounded like a nickname for…what? Elphadora? No. Elphondra? Nope. And then, as I looked down at the book still clutched in my hands, it hit me like a ton of bricks. The former Governor's daughter, Elphaba Thropp, had always been around before she had disappeared from the world a couple of years ago. Was this her?

The sound of a slap quickly snapped my attention back to the two witches. Now, they both had angry red marks on their faces, screaming as they fought each other tooth and nail. And then, like a nightmare come to life, the Gale Force materialized around the clearing, grabbing hold of the two witches and prying them apart with some difficulty. The sight of the Gale Force soldiers filled me with both fear and rage. I had seen what they were capable of doing-they had slaughtered many of the debt slaves who had tried to stage a rebellion several years ago. As my hands started to shake with anger, I felt heat on them and looked down at the book. It was starting to glow, the shimmer becoming stronger.

Looking up, I saw Elphaba Thropp's eyes snap up, slamming into mine from across the clearing. Our eyes met, and in them, I could see that she was trying to tell me something. _Run_, I thought, but before I could do so, a man sprinted into the clearing, coming so close that I could feel the heat of his body. He dashed into the clearing, skidding to a halt in front of Glinda, cocking his rifle in the same motion as he lifted the gun to her face.

_I saw the people running pas, torches, pitchforks, and guns held in their hands. The night was so loud-I could hear the screaming and gunshots. Then, silence fell as several Gale Force soldiers walked into the clearing, dragging a man behind them._

The man was yelling now, and the Gale Force suddenly let Elphaba Thropp go. The man, Fiyero I heard her call him, grabbed her broom and threw it to her. She caught it and then stopped. She didn't want to leave him. But what choice did she have? She mounted her broom and kicked off, looking down at the people in the clearing before her eyes again slid to mine. She looked at me with all the desperation and grief that was possible, and I realized what I was holding. It was the Grimmerie, the most powerful of all the spell books in Oz.

Barely minutes after Elphaba Thropp flew from the clearing, had Fiyero dropped his gun. In seconds, they swarmed around him, dragging Glinda away before putting him up on several poles. One of them grabbed his knife and cut off his shirt. The rest gathered various weapons- swords, maces, and spears- and stood waiting as their leader pulled out a black leather whip laced with the razor sharp diamonds that only the Gale Force possessed. He raised his arm back, cracking it across Fiyero's back. Blood poured onto the ground.

_The leaders of the rebellion were gathered in the clearing, surrounded by Gale Force soldiers. My maman and baba were there; tied up, long scratches oozing down their faces. The leader grabbed the whip. He let it fly against my baba. Immediately, gashes appeared in his chest, his back, his arms, and his face. My maman was screaming. All he could do was look at me as his blood soaked the earth, staining it black._

I didn't realize when I had stepped into the clearing. I only know that one second I was in hiding- now, I was holding the Grimmerie, the shimmer heating up as all the anger and rage, built up inside of me after so many years, cause the book's pages to flutter. As the Gale Force ran towards me, I looked down at the book's pages- before, where there had been unintelligible writing, one sentence stood out clearly:

_Hostes meos et amicos meos defendo_

I hadn't even realized that I had yelled the words aloud- it was as though someone inside me had spoken them instead. I felt the hands of the Gale Force grab onto my arms. There was a moment when everything seemed to slow down: the sky, the earth, the faces in front of me moving as though they were underwater, For the first time in a long time, I felt at peace.

Then the world exploded around me.


	2. Chapter 2

**AN: The rain dropped THREE AND A HALF INCHES on my house, flooding my basement in a very thin sheet of water. Luckily, it has finally stopped raining, and nothing important was damaged. As I haul the last of the water sucked up by the shop vacuum to the yard (cursing Madam Morrible), a Flying Monkey lands in the yard next to me. After he hands me a letter and then flies off again, I look around surreptitiously before opening the envelope. Inside are three very sincere and thoughtful reviews made by ComingAndGoingByBubble, Elphaba-WWW, and The Ultimate Queen of Cliffies. I read their reviews and then dash inside to install the next chapter, determined not to disappoint them. So I added some adorable father-daughter discussions and Fiyero gets to speak for the first time!**

**Plus, I'm going to give some background on Aylen's name. I'm the person who goes onto baby name sites and tries to find names that have interesting or meaningful meanings. I was debating between Issara and Malaya, Thai and Spanish names that mean 'freedom.' Then I saw the name Aylen, which in the Mapuche language (l believe it's a Native American language) means 'clear' or 'light bearer.' All of a sudden, Aylen started speaking to me, demanding that I use that name for her. So I decided not to let her curse me and give her the name she wanted.**

**(By the way, I think that we can all assume that I do not own Wicked, so Stephen Schwarz can stop sending his lawyers after me. And I'm only going to post this once, mister)**

**Chapter Two- We Stood Up (A Fine Frenzy):**

_My baba Lateef and I were sitting on the steps of our shack, staring into the night sky. Even though he looked like the vicious Bears in the stories, I knew that he was gentle, just like the meaning of his name. However, I had also seen him at his most furious, lifting huge pieces of milord's burning barn to rescue an Animal veterinarian inside when no one else was willing to help. Now, at five, I traced the burn scars on his hands. He looked down at me. "Baba," I asked, "why did you help that veterinarian? You almost died!" He smiled down at me. "Aylen, I'm going to tell you something that you probably won't understand until you're older. There will be times in your live when you are faced with a situation like mine- to give up one's life in order to save someone else's. In the end, I want you to do everything in your power to save their life, even if it means putting yourself in danger." "But," I protested, "I don't want to die for some stranger!" My baba laughed and hugged me, his huge arms lifting me from the step. "My sweet, beautiful Aylen," he said, grinning at me. "No one is a stranger to anyone! We just haven't had the chance to say hello…"_

My baba's laughter faded as I opened my eyes. Immediately, my head started pounding. I could taste blood in my mouth- I had bitten my tongue. Groaning, I lifted my head from the ground. Wait-the ground? I twisted my head from side to side, wondering why I was on the ground. My eyes widened as I took in the sight of the Gale Force- or what was left of them. Their uniforms lay perfectly intact, as though they had simply decided it was better to leave them behind. The only traces of their actual selves were the bloody, burned patches of corn that lay around the clearing. Bile rose in my throat, but I managed to choke it down as I looked up at the man on the poles.

His skin was the same dark tint as mine,but, because he had lost so much blood, it looked an ashy grey. The dark, thick hair was matted with blood, and bruises stained his body an ugly blotchy blue. But that wasn't what stopped my heart. It was the bloody whip marks, laced across his back and chest. It had to be-I pushed myself off the ground, ignoring my aching head, and rushed to the man. "Baba!" I yelled, grabbing a discarded knife and cutting him down. As he fell from the poles, I managed to grab him. He was surprisingly light-this worried me, because my baba was a strong and thick as an ancient Quoxwood tree. I lowered him to the ground and began to shake him.

"Baba! Wake up!" I cried, desperation causing me to shake him harder. He groaned, blinking open blue eyes that were clouded with pain. The sight of those eyes made me freeze. They were not my baba's golden brown eyes. This man was not my baba. I shoved him away from me as grief overtook me. How could I have been so stupid? My baba was dead, long dead. I looked down at the imposter, clenching my jaw to keep from screaming at him. He wasn't dead, but he was very close to dying.

As though he could feel my gaze, the man's eyes shifted towards me. Suddenly, he grabbed my arm in a surprisingly strong grip and yanked me down so my face was close to his face. "Please," he whispered, pain cracking his voice. "Please, help me." I stared down at him, unable to say anything. "Please…help me…" he whispered again.

_My baba's voice came out of that bloody darkness. "Aylen…please…" My body hurt so badly, but I started to crawl, my blood leaving a trail along the ground. After what seemed like an agonizingly long time, I reached my baba's side. In the light from the torched shacks, I could make out my baba's eyes slowly clouding over. "Baba," I croaked, "I'm here." "Aylen…please…help me…" Baba lifted his arm towards me, and I grabbed it and held it against my face. The blood from our wounds dripped onto the already bloody ground. We were surrounded by the dead. "Never…forget…" he whispered, death making his voice softer and softer. I bent closer, my ear next to his mouth. My baba took a deep breath and, with the last of his strength, closed his eyes and whispered, "Who you are…my Aylen…"_

I looked down at the dying man, who looked so much like my baba. My lips moved, my voice hoarse after so many years of never speaking.

"Yes."


	3. Chapter 3

**AN: I have seen Monet's water lillies and Picasso's ****_Blue Guitarist_****, but nothing prepared me for the beauty of the seven reviews that have been posted so far. Seriously, I am so, so thankful to those of you who are reading and reviewing. This is why I feel so guilty about not publishing chapters more often. Between my dad using it for his online classes and me helping my mom paint our dining room, I have just not have had a lot of time. But, anyway, here's chapter three, where Fiyero gets a nickname and Aylen has to decide where they are going to be able to go after murdering a dozen Gale Force soldiers.**

**Oh, and some background on Fiyero's name and nickname. I spent quite a lot of time looking for a nickname for Fiyero that would sound close to his name, yet be different from the meaning of his name (in Spanish, Fiero means 'fiery man,' which seems very fitting for him). If you read more, Fiyero's nickname will be explained in chapter…5. Plus, I'll say that the names of the places 'Qismat' and 'Madhara' mean 'fate' and 'springtime.' Also, about the chapter titles: they are songs that either have a similar message to the chapter, or one that I thought about while I was writing. Enjoy! **

**Chapter Three- ¡Corre! (Jesse & Joy):**

The sky was starting to darken again, but, instead of the bone-chilling yellow of a tornado, it became the dark blue-grey of rain, Quickly, I set to work gathering up the discarded uniforms and bags left by the Gale Force. I couldn't grasp the knowledge that I had performed magic of all things and defeated-no, _killed_ about a dozen members of the Gale Force. A lump formed in my throat-I had never killed anyone before. However, those feelings of guilt were quickly overtaken by anger. These people were responsible for the death of my parents and my friends. These people did not deserve my pity.

I grabbed the medical kit one of them had been carrying and went back to the man. Didn't I hear his name before I blacked out? I started to unwind bandages and gather the various bottles as I tried to remember. It had started with an F, right? I looked at the bottle of medicine I held in my hand, labeled with medicinal flowers. "Aha!" I cried, looking down at him. "It's Fiore, isn't it?"

Fiore groaned as I spread the sticky medicine on him and wrapped him with bandages. Besides the whip marks, he had what seemed to be several broken ribs (judging by the swearing as I touched them) and fingers. Bruised and cuts were everywhere, but I was mostly worried about possible internal injuries. Fiore was only half-conscious, but he kept coughing up blood and clawing at his mouth. Carefully, I helped him sit up and he spat out several teeth. He coughed again, but only a little blood came out this time. Turning towards me, he grimaced in pain as I caught him. "Can you stand?" I asked, slowly helping him up. "I-I think so," he said, leaning on the poles for support.

With the immediate danger out of the way, I started gathering supplies- the Grimmerie was still in the shoulder bag, but I added the medical kit and a coil of rope. As I gathered a canteen and dried food from the pockets of the uniforms, I picked up what looked like a map and compass, as well as some paper and pencils, a box of matches, and some candles. I deliberated for a moment before picking up a knife sheath and attaching it to my belt. Finally, I gathered some clothes for Fiore- several members of the Gale Force were carrying simple Munckinlander garb, probably for spying.

I went back to Fiore, who was staring at the sky. "Here," I said, roughly pulling a shirt over his head, ignoring his cries of protest. "We have to move," I retorted as he glared dully at me. "If we stay here, we'll die." "Where are we going to go?" Fiore asked, as the rain started to fall. "I'm an outlaw. People will turn us in if we ask for help." Impatiently, I grabbed his uninjured arm and pulled it around my neck so he could lean on me. "I know some people who won't turn us in," I answered.

"Who?" demanded Fiore. "Never mind that, we actually have to make it there first." I pulled out the map (which was, luckily, waterproof) and showed it to Fiore. "How do we get to the Qismat River?" I asked, unable to read the map. He blinked, squinting down at the map due to the rain. "It's two days if we travel straight through the Madhara Forest," he replied. "Well, let's start walking," I said. And we set forth into the rain, leaving the water to wash away the signs of what had happened in the clearing.

**Don't forget to review, because your thoughts are fueling my creative process (that, and tea, plus the wonderful advice from the Ultimate Queen of Cliffies herself). Oh! I almost forgot. I have been promoted by Her Majesty to become the Princess of Cliffies (yay!). So that means I can now say, "REVIEW, OR I WILL FEED YOU BROWNIES! MWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"**


	4. Chapter 4

**AN: I felt kind of bad about leaving you with such a short chapter, so I'm going to add an equally short chapter (two short chapters make a long one, right?). In this chapter, we meet Aylen's mom, who may or may not be more powerful than we think she is (dun dun dun…). Her name is Kolap, which means 'rose' in Khmer, the most common spoken language of Cambodia.**

**Also, this chapter is dedicated to Elphaba-WWW, since I can't give you the free GwtDT book that I got from the Little Library in my neighborhood (what is a Little Library, you ask? It's kind of like a little mailbox full of books that people can take and put in, so like a real library without the fines). Sorry :( And, finally, this chapter will end with a cliffie! Because I can!**

**Chapter Four- Turning Tables (Adele):**

It had been two days since Fiore and I had escaped milord's cornfields into the Madhara Forest, and we were nowhere near the Qismat River. Fiore had lost consciousness after walking for almost an entire day. I had tried to get him to rest, but he became as stubborn as I was. "You said yourself that if we stay in Munckinland, we'll die. I'll make it past the river and then I'll rest." The idiot had barely managed to limp for two more hours before he collapsed, forcing me to drag him into the small (but mercifully dry) space beneath a Quoxwood tree's roots.

Now, as I squeezed the rainwater out of my dreadlocks, I watched Fiore. The color had very slightly returned to his face, but his wounds were still so fresh that they hadn't scabbed over. Plus, he was still occasionally coughing up blood. Yet, whenever I had tried to stop, he just kept staring at the sky like he was looking for someone. And I had a hunch about who that someone might be. I shook my head as I looked down at him- he must really love that woman to walk so far when he was barely alive. Turning towards the tiny space in the tree's roots, I watched the rain fall. Since milord's estates were so close to Quadling Country, the rainy season always affected the cornfields this time of the year. Rainstorms like this usually lasted three or four days at a time- days that people wouldn't want to be searching for two fugitives in. I let my eyes close…

_The cornfields were golden in the late autumn sunlight, sending shafts of sunlight through their stalks and turning the harvesters into black silhouettes. I hated the harvest season- everyone worked day and night to the sound of the overseer's taunts and insults-and occasional beatings. Even though I was only six, I was expected to work at the pace of the adults. Now, with two full days of working coming to an end, exhaustion was making me clumsy, dropping ears of corn onto the ground. My maman, Kolap, kept trying to keep me awake with her songs and jokes, but I was so tired. Then, without warning, I toppled over; knocking over the huge basket we were filling, causing ears of corn to fly every which way._

_ Unfortunately, as my maman pulled me up, the overseer rode around the corner. His face turned an ugly maroon when he saw the scattered ears of corn. My maman quickly stood up. "It's my fault," she said, gesturing towards the basket. "I tripped, and I knocked over the basket when I fell." The overseer and I both looked at my maman- the overseer with a sneer on his face, and me, fear jolting me from my exhaustion._

_ Suddenly, the overseer swung his iron rod at my maman, striking her in the face so violently that she fell onto the ground. "Maman!" I screamed, rushing towards her, tears welling in my eyes. The rod had just missed her eye, but her rose colored skin was quickly turning black and blue as a black eye started to form. "That should teach you filthy debt slaves not to spill your lord's precious corn," the overseer said. Maman didn't answer him: her nose was starting to bleed, turning her skin a deeper shade of red. "Well?" the overseer demanded. "Didn't you learn your lesson?" I looked between the overseer and my maman, starting to cry harder as I saw the overseer's face turn a deeper shade of purple. Maman still didn't say anything. "Answer me!" the overseer screamed, slamming the rod into the ground._

_ My maman looked at me, slowly pinching the bridge of her nose as she carefully stood up. She drew herself up to her full (and considerable) height, staring at the overseer as she wiped off most of the blood in one motion, scattering it on the overseer's highly polished boots. When she spoke, her tone was so icy that I wasn't surprised to see frost forming in the overseer's eyebrow. "Yes, __sir,__" she spat. Her voice would have caused stronger men than the overseer to wet their pants. _

_ The overseer's face bypassed purple and turned so dark that I thought he was going to explode. Instead, he turned and rode off, leaving a strange smell behind as I saw his pants turn a darker shade of brown. The situation would have been funny had sobs not racked my body as my maman spit a stream of blood and spit from her mouth. Trembling slightly, she knelt down next to me and scrubbed the tears from my cheeks. "Maman, I'm so sorry!" I cried as she brushed away more tears._

_ She looked at me, her hazel eyes turning angrier and more focused than I had ever seen them before. She grabbed my face with her hands, pulling my head so we were looking directly into each other's eyes. "Never cry in front of them," she whispered, shaking me slightly. I was so shocked that I immediately stopped crying. I had never seen my maman look so angry before. "Do you hear me? Never cry in front of them!" she repeated fiercely. "Promise me." I nodded, stunned into silence. She nodded with me. "Good," she said, sitting back and gingerly touching her face._

_ "But why can't I cry?" I asked. Maman reached over and pulled me into a hug. "Because," she said, "if you cry, then they have won. If you stay silent, if you stay strong, then they will never really own you."_

My maman's voice- I haven't heard it in so long. Tears trickled from my eyes as I opened them. Then they widened as I realized that there was a hand over my mouth.

** Dramatic music plays in the background as I hit the keys on the huge pipe organ, the keys lit up by the large candles dripping with melted wax. I cackle as I hit the keys. DUN DUN DUN….. Review or I'll play more organ music! Mwahahahaha!**


	5. Chapter 5

**AN: I finally have the house to myself for a few minutes, so I'm going to use it well and type up the next chapter! This is one of my favorite chapters that I've written so far, because Fiyero and Aylen finally get to have a conversation (which quickly turns into an argument, but oh well…)! There is also some explanation of Fiyero's nickname Fiore and Aylen's nickname Mutt, and we learn something new about Aylen…**

**Annnnnnddd then I will end it with another cliffie (hey, I learned how from only the best (you know who you are))! Yay! This chapter is dedicated to ComingAndGoingByBubble, who read the first ever chapter of this story. I can't believe that I've already posted 5 chapters! Thank you so much for your helpful advice!**

**Chapter Five- Leave My Body (Florence and the Machine):**

"Shh! It's me!" said the shadowy figure whose hand covered my mouth. I pulled the knife from its sheath and held it out in front of me. The figure immediately let go of me and held his hands up in a gesture of surrender. "Who are you?!" I spoke quietly and fiercely, despite the fact that my head was starting to hurt again. "It's me, Fiyero!" whispered the figure, staying as far away from the knife as the small space would allow. Fiyero? Haven't I heard that name before?

Quickly, while keeping an eye on the figure, I pulled out the matches and lit a candle. Fiore's face came out of the shadows, his bruises and cuts fully illuminated. Again, my heart leapt, because once again he looked exactly like my baba- minus the eyes. I shook my head to remind myself that my baba was dead. "Why in Lurline's name did you DO that?!" I demanded.

He tried to play dumb. "Do what?" he asked. I clenched my fists to keep from throttling him. "You-Fiore-waking me up-scared me half to death-I almost _skewered_ you-YOU BRAINLESS IDIOT!" I yelled, anger making me sound almost incoherent. Fiore's jaw dropped. "Fiore? You think my name is _Fiore_? It's Fiyero!" he gasped. "That's not important, I could have killed-""My name does NOT mean little flower!" "Does that really matter right-""Yes, it does, you-!"

"SHUT UP!" we both roared at the exact same time. The candle blew out as silence fell. "I sorry," we said at the same time again. Silence fell again as I pointed at him to speak first. He sighed, wincing as he shifted his position. "I'm sorry that I did that," he said. "It's just that you were screaming and crying in your sleep. I didn't want anyone to hear us." Crying? My hands went quickly to my cheeks. Sure enough, they were wet. I felt my face heat up in embarrassment as I scrubbed the wetness off my face.

"Don't you want to apologize now?" asked Fiyero. "For what?" I retorted. "For calling me _Fiore_ of all things-do I look like a little flower to you?" I considered him as I lit the candle again. "Yes, you do." Fiyero snorted and rolled his eyes. "Fine. Now that we finally know my name, why don't you tell me yours?" he asked.

"Mutt," I said without thinking. Fiyero's jaw dropped again. Realizing what I'd just said, I tried to backtrack. "No! No! That's not my real name. My real name's Aylen. Mutt is just what everyone calls me." Fiyero still stared at me, mouth open. Now that he was semi-lucid, he was taking in the sight of my dark skin and my red dreadlocks. It was starting to get on my nerves.

"You're going to catch more than flies if you keep your mouth open," I said, waving my fist in his face. He quickly shut it. "What, haven't you ever seen a half-Winkie, half-Quadling _mutt_ before?" I demanded, almost yelling in his face. Lightning suddenly flashed outside, making us both jump. Fiyero was still staring at me, the color that he had gained back slowly turning his face a bright red. He opened his mouth and shut it again, looking like a fish. Angrily, I turned away and started shoving the matches back into the shoulder bag before I heard a whisper. "I-I'm sorry," I heard Fiyero say as I turned back to look at him. "For what?!" I spat. "For needing to be rescued by a filthy debt slave? For having to sit next to me? For-"

Fiyero interrupted me, holding his hands up. "Do you ever let anyone else talk?" My face flushed-now we _both_ had bright red faces. Again, I shut up and pointed at Fiyero to speak. "I can't believe I was staring at you. That was incredibly rude. It's-It's-"he swallowed, at a loss for words. "Because I haven't seen someone-someone like me outside of the Vinkus for a long time." I raised my eyebrows. Realizing his mistake, Fiyero held up his hands again and backpedalled. "I mean, someone who's a Vinkus, like me."

"And," he said, his face turning so red that I could almost feel the heat off of it, "You just remind me of someone I used to know, back when I was younger." Even though I had no idea who he was talking, I decided to let it go. _My maman would be proud of me_, I thought bitterly, turning away from Fiyero and touching the necklace that I hid underneath my shirt.

"Aylen?" Fiyero spoke again. I froze. No one had called me by my real name since my parents died, and now this Fiyero was using my name as if he'd known me my entire life. "What?" I sighed as I turned back towards him. "Will you accept my apology?" he asked. I looked at Fiyero, his bruises shadowing his features, his blue eyes asking me for _forgiveness_ of all things. I was not a forgiving person. However, Fiyero just looked so much like my baba that I couldn't help but feel my anger start to dissolve. "All right," I said.

"All right?" asked Fiyero, starting to brighten up. "All right, I'll forgive you this time, Fiore," I replied, grinning as he realized that he couldn't escape from his new nickname. He scowled as he tried to get up, but grimacing in pain, sat down again. "Wait!" I cried. I pulled out the Grimmerie and started searching through the pages, looking for something that seemed like a healing spell. Finally, near the back of the book, I spotted a few sentences that I could read. I read them carefully, not wanting to cause further damage, but the spell said, quite simply, that it could be used for healing physical injuries. Plus, it looked like it was a weak spell compared to some in the book, so I cleared my throat and chanted the words out loud. Even thought they felt strange, they still rolled off my tongue easily:

_Ossa necteretur! Carne sana! Corpus sit renasci!_

A moment passed after the spell was cast. I realized Fiyero had kept his eyes squeezed shut. "Did it work?" I asked breathlessly. Fiyero opened his eyes and started to speak. But, before he could get a word out, something crashed into the space between the roots, launching itself straight for me.

**I pull my car next to the house, a package of toilet paper in the seat next to me. I climb out of the car and open the package, ready to start draping the toilet paper on the trees and house. REVIEW OR I WILL TP YOUR HOUSE! MWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!**


	6. Chapter 6

**AN: I stare at the screen of the computer, entranced by the sight of: SIXTEEN REVIEWS! Sooooo…beautiful….and you all think that my story is cool! Chapter 6 is where we meet a friend of both Fiyero and Elphaba (BlueD has a stuffed version of said friend), and Fiyero comes up with an idea! I know the notion of Fiyero thinking shocks me as well! :)**

**Elphaba-WWW: *stirring a large, bubbling cauldron, throwing newts and brownies and random stuff in* Yes! I love it when people say that quote, 'cause it makes me think that I'm an awesome sorceress! Yes, the plot ****_does_**** thicken from this point on…**

**Ultimate Queen of Cliffies: When I'm able to snatch the stone from your hand, then I can stop being a grasshopper, right (quote search: if you can find this quote, my dad would be very proud of you. I'll give you a hint- it's a TV show from the 70s)? I don't know. I kind of like my username. And ExoticPeachBlossom thinks that it's cute, so I'll keep it for a while.**

**This chapter is dually dedicated: first to Gentle Touch Ginger, who sent me one of the sweetest reviews I've gotten yet, and to Fae the Queen, because she is another awesome Wisconsinite.**

**Chapter 6- Mountain Sound (Of Monsters and Men):**

I fell backwards as the furry creature bowled me over, still holding the Grimmerie. It scratched at my arms and face, trying to grab hold of the book. Lying on the ground, I kicked out my foot at the creature, succeeding in pushing it away from my face. I yelled at it bit my foot, but I was able to keep a tight hold on the Grimmerie. We fought each other tooth and nail in the small space, not even noticing Fiyero until he dived in between us and shoved us apart.

"Chistery! Chistery, stop! It's me, Fiyero!" he shouted as the creature again lunged at me. At the sound of his voice, the creature froze in mid-lunge and collapsed on top of Fiyero. Breathing heavily, I jerked myself away from Fiyero, backing away from the creature. "What in Oz is _that?!_" I exclaimed. Fiyero turned to the creature, speaking to me over his shoulder. "His name's Chistery. He's one of Fae's flying monkeys." Ignoring my further questions, he spoke to Chistery. "Chistery- did Fae send you to find me? Is she alive?"

Chistery leaned back onto his haunches. Now that he was staying still, I could see that he was a Monkey, with the dark fur and bright brown eyes that my parents had described in their stories. The only differences were the faded red pants that he wore, as well as the two large leathery wings that he kept folded against his back. Scowling, he pointed at me as he addressed Fiyero. "S-stole b-book. M-m-mistress wants b-book b-back." He held up what looked like an amulet-it was floating in the air, following its movement as I moved back to Fiyero and sat down. "She had you go after the book and _not me?!_" gasped Fiyero, looking for all the world like someone had killed his pet puppy. "The world must not revolve around you as much as you thought, Fiore." I said, smirking.

Chistery shook his head. "M-m-mistress thinks y-you d-dead. W-went back t-to w-where last saw y-you. V-very mad." Fiyero stared at Chistery, scratching his head with his left arm. "Wait," I said, pointing to Fiyero's arm, "Your arm- that's your broken one, right?" He looked at me, comprehension dawning on his face. "You're right!" He lifted his arms and started to stand up, but then gasped in pain and clutched his ribs. "I think your spell helped heal me, but I'm not 100 percent cured." Fiyero grinned at me. "You're just as powerful as Fae is-can you read that entire book?"

I shook my head. "Only bits and pieces- I can't even read a normal book. I don't know why I can suddenly read this one." Fiyero's jaw dropped for the third time that night. "You can't _read?!"_ he asked, looking like I had just betrayed him. I raised my eyebrows and pointed at myself. "Debt slave, remember? None of us could read or write except my mother. And she died before she could teach me." Fiyero went red, mumbling another apology. "It doesn't matter anymore," I lied, turning back to Chistery.

"So this Fae person sent you to get the Grimmerie? Why couldn't she come and get it herself?" Chistery grinned for the first time. Slowly, we were starting to relax in each other's presence. "S-smaller, fast-ster than M-mistress." He scratched his chin, struggling to find the right words. Finding them, his face lit up with glee. "R-right hand M-monkey." I laughed, and then felt a tug on the shoulder bag. Fiyero was rummaging through, pulling out the paper and pencils that I thrown in there earlier.

I watched, fascinated, as he started scribbling something down on the paper. I concentrated, trying to see if, like the Grimmerie, the meanings would suddenly take shape in my mind. Instead, a throbbing pain shot across my head, causing me to grab it in agony. Fiyero glanced up at me, sensing the movement, but I managed to turn it into a casual head scratch. He watched me for a second, then shook his head and folded the paper. He held it out to Chistery.

"Chistery, can you take this to Fae? She needs to know that I'm alive and heading to Quadling Country." Chistery stared at him, and then pointed to the Grimmerie. "N-need b-book. For M-m-mistress." I shook my head-I trusted Chistery, but I didn't trust the skies above Oz. There were too many ways for him to drop the Grimmerie, for him to be captured and the book to fall into the wrong hands. Chistery saw me and slammed his fists onto the ground, his wings unfurling. "G-give b-book!" he screeched,exposing what looked like razor sharp teeth at me. "Chistery, it's too dangerous-"I said, trying desperately to find the words to calm him down. Then the idea dawned on me.

I grabbed the letter from Fiyero and held it in front of Chistery. "Chistery," I spoke quietly, and he seemed to calm down a little, folding his wings back against his back. "I want you to listen very carefully to me." He nodded, his bright brown eyes narrowed in concentration. "I'm going to have Fiore-Fiyero, I mean- write on here to this Fae, telling her to come to Quadling Country if she wants the Grimmerie. This is only because I want to protect both you and the book. Do you understand?"

Chistery cocked his head, mouthing the words silently as he thought over what I had just said. Then a grin spread over his face. "Y-yes!" he said. I handed the note back to Fiyero, then pulled out some dried fruit for Chistery, who began to gobble it up at once. "Um, Aylen?" I turned. Fiyero was looking sheepish. "What did you do?" I groaned, not sure if I wanted to hear the answer. "It's just that Fae is smart-she won't trust you not to give up the Grimmerie." "Do you think I had a choice?" I hissed, keeping my voice low so that Chistery wouldn't hear.

Fiyero sat back and closed his eyes, running his face across his face and up into his hair, thinking hard. My heart stopped. What Fiyero had done was exactly what my baba used to do when he was thinking about something as well. I opened my mouth, "Baba," on the tip of my tongue, when Fiyero's eyes snapped open. "I've got it!" he cried, grabbing my shoulders. Luckily, the idiot was so excited that he didn't notice that my mouth was hanging open. "What we need," said Fiyero, leaning back again on a tree root, "is something to give to Chistery that Fae can use to recognize you. Something you can trade with her." His eyes alighted on the bracelet that I wore. "Something…like that."

I looked down at the bracelet. "Oh, _hell_ no!" I yelled. This rough looking metal and leather bracelet may look like a piece of junk to everybody else, but to my family, it was very important. It had been my great-grandfather's bracelet, a symbol of the freedom my family used to have.

Fiyero sighed. "Well, we only have two choices. Either you give up your bracelet, for Fae will send more Flying Monkeys. And trust me; they aren't all as nice as Chistery. Your choice." I glanced down at the scratches Chistery had left on my arms and realized that Fiyero was serious. Sighing, I untied the bracelet and tossed it to Fiyero. He grinned, writing his final words on the note and wrapping the bracelet securely around it. He handed the note to Chistery, who swallowed the last of the fruit and grabbed it. He bowed to each of us (surprising me- no one had ever _bowed_ to me before), then climbed out from underneath the Quoxwood tree. Unfurling his wings, he grinned at us and then took to the sky, quickly disappearing in the rain.

"We better go," I said, putting the Grimmerie back into the shoulder bag. "The rain will let up soon, and we need to cross the river before it stops." Fiyero and I climbed back out into the rain, Fiyero examining the map. "We're only about three hours from the river!" he cried excitedly. "Oh, how _wonderful_," I groaned. We started out, making surprisingly good time, even with Fiyero's limp and my headache growing worse (though I was able to hide it by blaming Chistery's bite on my foot for the pain when Fiyero asked). Soon, we started to see the trees become thinner, and slivers of the river to appear. Finally, we stood on a hill about a mile away, looking at the fast moving water from the rain. We were trying to decide the best way to cross the river when the sound of barking dogs came out of the woods.

They had found us.

**I seriously am having waaaaaaaaay too much fun writing these cliffhangers. It's like I'm sitting here with my notebook, trying to decide the best way to torture readers (and, now that I'm watching Game of Thrones. I know plenty of ways…). But don't worry, I already have the next chapter done, and the one after that 98% done (in my notebook, so Elphaba-WWW, you can't hack it. Sorry). **

**The only problem is, is that I'm surrounded by family members and can barely be alone for five minute, much less type up the next chapter. And then, I'll be going to camp for two weeks, where any and all electronic devices are banned and I'll be eaten alive by mosquitoes. So, I'll try to get the next chapter in ASAP, but don't be alarmed if I go MIA for a few weeks…**

**Oh, by the way…I've got Arya Stark here, SO REVIEW OR SHE WILL STICK YOU WITH THE POINTY END! MWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!**


	7. Chapter 7

**AN: So...wow. Um. I feel really, really guilty about not posting sooner. It's just been a lot of senior year/college applications/job searches/family issues/grandma in hospice stuff. I pushed the story so far back onto the burner that I think it fell off of the stove completely. But I haven't forgotten how you guys are waiting for the next chapter. So here it is! Enjoy, and thanks for sticking around!**

* * *

Chapter Seven- Every Teardrop is a Waterfall (Coldplay):

Fiyero and I stared at each other in shock, listening to the sound of the hunters coming closer. All the blood drained out of Fiyero's face as he saw the fear in mine. I grabbed his hand and started to run, pulling him behind. The rain had made the ground slippery, and we fought to keep our balance as the land started sloping towards the river. Branches lashed out at us, the forest seemingly intent on slowing us down. We ran with no direction planned or way to cross the river- now, there was only one word in our minds: _run. _Sounds of shouting and barking seemed to come from everywhere as the rain lashed down. I couldn't see because of the rain-I could only move forward, dragging Fiyero behind me, and hope that we were close to the river.

"THERE THEY ARE!" someone yelled. I panicked, almost sprinting to keep ahead of them. "Aylen, wait!" Fiyero shouted, trying to stop me. But the fear kicked in another notch as I felt the breath of the dogs on my feet. I ran forward, ignoring Fiyero's shouts, my mind blank with fear. And then the earth dropped out from under my feet.

As I fell, I dragged Fiyero down with me. Time seemed to slow down-or maybe my mind was speeding up, because everything clicked into my head with alarming speed: 1) Somehow, we had made it to the Qismat River, 2) In my panic, I had run right off a cliff that overlooked the river, taking Fiyero with me, 3) The hunters weren't following us- they were still on the cliff, 4) I still had the Grimmerie, the bag clutched against my chest, and 5) I could die in the next 45 seconds as I hit the water. I glanced up- Fiyero had closed his eyes, holding his free arm tight against his chest and keeping his legs straight. All I could do was copy his movements and pray that the water was deep.

The shock of the cold water was overwhelming as we plunged deep into the river. Immediately, I felt Fiyero's hand ripped from mine by the fast moving water. I tumbled head over heels, unable to figure out which way was up or down. The air from my lungs was quickly running out, and black dots appeared in front of my eyes. I clutched the Grimmerie closer, squeezing my eyes shut._ I need to get to the surface!_ I thought. Without warning, light flooded, causing me to open my eyes. The Grimmerie was glowing, pulling me towards the surface!

My head broke the surface of the water, and the glow from the book faded. Rain still hammered down on the swollen river. I gulped in air, trying to stay afloat. "FIYERO!" I screamed, searching for him as the water carried me further down the river. The roar of the water blocked out all sound as I frantically searched the river. I struggled, using the arm that wasn't holding the Grimmerie to stay afloat as I continued to scream for Fiyero. Then, from what seemed a long way downstream, I heard a faint voice calling my name."AYLEN! I'M HERE! OVER HERE!"

Fiyero's voice grew louder as the water carried me downstream. The cold water was sapping my energy, and it was getting harder to keep from sinking underwater. Narrowly avoiding being squished by a giant rock as I was pushed past by the current, Fiyero came into view. He was kneeling on a large flat rock, his arm outstretched towards me. "GRAB MY HAND!" he yelled above the roar of the water, straining forward to close the gap between us.

I reached toward his hand as the water swept me past the rock. Our hands connected. Then, due to the pull of the powerful water, my hand started to slip out of his. I saw the horror on Fiyero's face as our fingers broke apart. In the same moment, I could feel the heat of the Grimmerie against my skin as it glowed again, shining on the water. Without thinking about it, I had cast another spell. The current suddenly slowed, keeping me near the rock. Fiyero again grabbed my hand, succeeding in pulling me up next to him.

As soon as I made it onto the rock, the spell broke, and the current sped up again. Coughing up water, I shook with both cold and fear of what might have happened. We sat on the rock catching our breath. "How are we going to get across?" I wheezed. "I d-don't know," Fiyero said, his teeth chattering. He grabbed my hand again. "I swear," he said, his voice growing stronger, "that if we get off this damn rock, I'll teach you to read." I stared at him, too shocked to say anything.

Suddenly, a rope landed between us, startling us both. "GRAB ON! I'LL PULL YOU OVER!" someone shouted. We looked over at the Quadling side of the river. There was a figure there, tying the other end to a tree. Fiyero and I looked at each other. I could see that he was just as suspicious as I was, but what choice did we have? We grabbed onto the rope and shouted at the figure to pull. We were yanked off the rock and pulled quickly through the water, making it to the other shore in no time. Clambering onto the bank, we probably looked like drowned cats. I couldn't have cared less, though. All I was focused on was the figure, who stepped out of the shadows and said, "Hello, Aylen."

* * *

I've forgotten how much I enjoyed this. Who is this figure? And how do they know Aylen? REVIEW OR I WILL FORCE YOU TO EAT ICE CREAM! MWAHAHAHA!


	8. Chapter 8

**AN: OK, guys, as Maddy has so kindly told me, it's been five weeks since I last updated on this. So when Maddy sent me a PM telling me that she was going to send the Frex Hunters after me, I was a little surprised. You see, I had just escaped said hunters when Maddy got mad at me before. Then I read about how she's writing a new Frex Hunters oneshot, and I was even more surprised. I mean, Frex is dead, so who would she use? Then the awful thought occurred to me. Maybe the Frex Hunters wouldn't be chasing after Frex in this oneshot. Maybe they would be chasing after ME. So consider yourself lucky THIS time, Elphaba-WWW, because I'm not going to post any more chapters after this one until you realize that you are an amazing writer and you decide to write the next chapter of WWC so that I can die with laughter and FINALLY get to share my special (wink wink) brownies with SOMEBODY (preferably the Wizard) and then review. Oh, and Maddy? Is this oneshot similar to the idea that we had talked about earlier in the summer?**

**Also, this AN is going to be extended even LONGER with some special points: 1) If any of you readers are actually doctors in disguise, I am in dire need of help. I have had excruciating abdominal pain all this week, and I actually went to Urgent Care today because I actually thought I was going to die with the pain. I had blood tests taken and the doctor looked at them and took a bunch of other tests. Basically, she had no idea what's going on with me. So I'm feeling like somebody is slowly ripping out my stomach and intestines with a red hot knife (I hope you're happy now Maddy-writing this chapter may kill me yet) with no idea what's going on. 2) If any of you are Idina Menzel fans, you should know that she has a new musical that she's starring in called If/Then. And Anthony Rapp, her costar from RENT, is going to be in it as well. And finally, 3) IDINA IS THE SNOW QUEEN IN THE DISNEY MOVIE FROZEN. I AM SO EXCITED FOR THIS MOVIE THAT I HAVE FOLLOWED ABOUT 20 DIFFERENT BLOGS ON TUMBLR ABOUT THIS MOVIE AND AJFLKGJKJDKFJ. Ahem. Sorry. Super excited about that movie. OK, back to the story! If any of you have read the book Wicked, you'll see that I have borrowed a character from there and used them in my story. Also, I have based this chapter off of a Sylvia Plath poem (virtual brownies for those who can find the title-one of the books that have been published about her has this poem as it's title (and no, it's not Ariel)) because it fitted really well with the mood of this chapter. Enjoy!**

**(Special mentions for this chapter: the Frozen fandom, winter is coming, and Tums. Lots of Tums. And Saltines. And to Maddy, so please don't kill me)**

* * *

**Chapter Eight- Second Chance (Shinedown):**

A man stood in front of us, his face lit up by the lantern that he had picked up by his feet. He had long, rust red dreadlocks that reached down to his waist, pulled back from his head by a leather string. He was powerfully built slightly shorter than Fiyero, with skin the color of a dusty rose. He was covered in scars, even more than me. His face was all sharp angles, with hollow cheeks and a thick neck. And, graced by thick eyebrows, his eyes were a clear hazel that was rare among Quadlings. The exact same shade of hazel as mine.

"Turtle Heart!" I yelled, running to him and almost knocking him over in a fierce hug. Turtle Heart laughed and hugged me as well, even though I was still soaking wet. I pulled back from his hug, frowning slightly. "I thought you were dead! Everyone died that night…" I said. Turtle Heart's smile vanished just as quickly as it had come. "Lateef and Kolap…?" He let the question hang in the air. In answer, I nodded. Turtle Heart buried his face in his hands. Silence passed for a few minutes, then Turtle Heart slowly lowered his hands down from his face and nodded. But he didn't cry, which I was grateful for. "I'm sorry, but did I miss something?" Fiyero asked, alerting both Turtle Heart and me to his presence.

I pointed from Fiyero to Turtle Heart and back again. "Fiore, this is Turtle Heart, my uncle. Turtle Heart, this is Fiyero of the Vinkus, also known as Fiore." Fiyero rolled his eyes as Turtle Heart looked up and laughed. But I noticed that his smile didn't reach his eyes. "So you're the Captain of the Guard who almost shot the Wizard, hmm? A rebel, are you?"

Fiyero shook his head. "No, I was captured before I could join." he said, looking uncomfortable. "And I saved him," I said. Before Turtle Heart could ask more, I interrupted him. "How did you escape from the Gale Force? Why didn't you come back?" I demanded. Turtle Heart sighed, running a thumb over a particularly deep scar that ran along his jaw. "We must get inland," he said, turning away and walking past me into the trees. Fiyero started to follow him, but I ran past the both of them and blocked the path. "I'm not letting you move until you tell me why you didn't come back and help!" I shouted at Turtle Heart.

We glared at each other, both of us refusing to move or speak. A muscle was pumping in Turtle Heart's jaw. My head was pounding again. This time, though, the dull ache was being replaced with a sharp, stabbing pain that was becoming stronger. It was starting to make my eyes water with the pain, but I was too stubborn to back down to Turtle Heart. "Um, guys?" Fiyero asked, stepping in between us. The glare that we gave him curled the edges of his already wavy hair.

Fiyero spoke, looking from me to Turtle Heart. "I have an idea. What if, as we get away from the creepy hunters who may be crossing the river as we speak, Turtle Heart can tell his side of the story?" A moment passed, then Turtle Heart sighed again and said, "Fine." I continued to glare at Fiyero, then turned away as a particularly sharp stab of pain shot through my head again. Clenching my fists to keep from screaming out loud, I muttered "Fine," as well.

Turtle Heart moved past me into the forest again, and this time, Fiyero and I followed him. As we moved farther away from the river, I noticed how spongy the ground was starting to feel against my bare feet. Looking back, I saw how the trees were becoming thicker, draped with moss and vines. Water filled our footprints, erasing all traces traces that we had been there. Soon, we were walking in deeper and deeper mud and water, the ground sucking at my feet and making it hard to walk. We came to a huge fallen tree and clambered up onto it, then walked along until Turtle Heart stopped. He moved aside some reeds from underneath the tree and pulled out a raft and pole, which rocked dangerously in the water. He and Fiyero jumped on right away, but, as I tried to follow, I lost my balance and almost fell off. Fiyero grabbed my arm and righted me, but I yanked my arm out of his grasp and sat down on the raft. My face flushed in anger and embarrassment- Fiyero had had to help me onto the raft like I was some stupid weakling. As Fiyero sat down on the raft as well, I scooted as far away from the two men as the raft would allow. I turned the full force of my glare onto a large blackbird about 50 feet away, who suddenly fell off of it's branch and hit the water with a splash. Both Turtle Heart and Fiyero turned at the sound, with Turtle Heart exclaiming in surprise: "What in Lurline's name?!"

"It's just a bird," I said, my voice slightly muffled because of my gritted teeth. Oz, my head had never hurt so badly in my life- it felt like somebody had sliced into my head with a sharp ax. I squeezed my eyes shut, and I felt Turtle Heart push the raft through the water. Taking deep breaths, the pain started to ease after a few minutes, and I opened my eyes to the Quadling swamps.

Even though I was still angry and in a lot of pain, I couldn't help but be transfixed by the beauty before me. There were water lilies everywhere, and huge swamp cypresses cast large patches of shade with their limbs. Tangles of reeds and algae crowded the water surrounding the raft, leaving swirls of clear and murky water in the raft's wake. The raft moved from the patches of inky blackness to ones of bright moonlight. The light reflected in the water and turned our bodies into black silhouettes- we looked like the cut-paper people I had once seen in a window.

I turned back to look at Turtle Heart and Fiyero. A little light was filtering from the water flowers, dappling their faces with silver patches. Turtle Heart smile as he saw my face start to lose it's scowl. "You look so much like your maman- we Quadlings belong near the water," he said, looking over the swamps with a sad look on his face.

Those words were all it took to wipe the smile off of my face. It felt like somebody had just punched me in the stomach. I wrapped my arms around my knees as my head throbbed again, huddling tighter into a ball to protect myself. The old guilt rose up again, choking off my throat and threatening to drown me again. It should be my maman here with Turtle Heart, not me, I thought as I tried to swallow the lump of unshed tears in my throat.

I felt the gaze of someone and looked up, expecting to see Turtle Heart looking down at me. But he wasn't looking at me- he was still staring out into the trees with a faraway look on his face. Instead, it was Fiyero who was looking at me, his brow furrowed in concern. I realized how I must look- like a little weak baby who needed help.

The anger rose in me, the familiar armor shutting down any weakness that I might have. My hands balled into fists, and Fiyero, noticing my murderous look, hurriedly tapped Turtle Heart on the foot and said, "What about the thing that you promised Aylen?"

Turtle Heart looked down at both me and Fiyero, then sighed and stared out at the swamps again. "I guess it's time to tell you about what happened to me during the rebellion," he said after a short pause. As Turtle Heart started to speak, I stared at him. Finally, I would find out the truth about that time. Maybe hearing Turtle Heart's story would stop the constant gnawing guilt in my mind from my own story.

"We had been planning that rebellion for years and years, even before you were born, Aylen. We gathered weapons and supplies from right under the exceptionally large noses of the overseers. And we had secret meetings to discuss tactics and dream about the future. Your maman and baba were some of the leaders of the rebellion-since your maman could read and write, she was given the task of writing out secret messages to other debt slaves on other estates. And your baba, since he knew how to fight properly, he was in charge of training us."

Fiyero interrupted him, saying, "Wait. How did Aylen's baba know how to fight if he was a debt slave?"

Turtle Heart paused for a second and then said, carefully, "Because Lateef wasn't born a debt slave. He came here and married Kolap, and gained her debt from her side of the family."

"What?!" My voice came out in a shrill shriek that instantly died from the look on Turtle Heart's face. He tapped a finger to his lips, and I shut up, my mind racing. My baba wasn't born a debt slave? He was free? Why had he never told me this? Why hadn't my maman? Does this mean I have family members who are free as well? I thought in disbelief.

Turtle Heart continued his story, breaking me out of my thoughts. "When the rebellion started, we split up into squads- some to protect those who weren't fighting, some to get the message out to the other estates, and some to fight. My squad was sent to block off the Yellow Brick Road near the Qismat River, so that the Gale Force couldn't march from the Emerald City. There were about forty of us- men, women, and some kids who wanted to fight- who built a barricade with our own hands. We thought that our wood-and-stone barricade was invincible. And it was, for almost three days."

"Sometimes, a carriage or cart would come down the road, and we would stop and search them. If they had food, we would take it, but we always let the people go back without hurting them. That was our mistake. One of those people must have been a spy for the Gale Force, because the soldiers came for us in the middle of the night."

He glanced down at Fiyero, a look of weariness and sadness on his face. "I know that you weren't in the Gale Force then, but do you realize how much they hate us, Fiyero?"

Fiyero hesitated, then hung his head. "In training camp," he muttered, not looking at either of us, "when we had target practice, we shot- I mean, our targets were scarecrows. Painted with the words 'Filthy debt slave.'" He looked up at Turtle Heart and me, pale and shaking. "I'm-I'm so sorry," he said. Turtle Heart held up a hand. "Like I said, you weren't a part of the Gale Force then, so don't apologize to me." Fiyero turned to me and opened his mouth, but I cut across him.

"Don't even say anything. If you take the blame for what happened, I will have to kill you." I warned him. He hurriedly shut his mouth and backed an inch or two away from me. Turtle Heart chuckled at the pair of us. "They must have not trained you well enough, Fiyero. Don't you know the unofficial motto of the Gale Force?" Fiyero shook his head, and Turtle Heart and I exchanged an exasperated look between us.

Turtle Heart sighed and I rolled my eyes. Then, we said it at the same time: "The Gale Force are trained to hate. And what they hate, they kill." Fiyero turned the same pale shade as curdled milk at that. Turtle Heart continued his story, ignoring the way Fiyero's jaw had dropped open.

"The Gale Force had cannons with them, so we tried shooting the soldiers who were manning them. But there were so many of them and not enough guns for us. They blasted open a hole in the barricade, and the soldiers started climbing over the barricade. We tried holding them off, but they managed to break through and we started fighting hand to hand."

He stopped, ducking under a curtain of vines that dripped down into the water. Now we were so deep into the swamps that the humidity made each breath feel like hard to breathe.

Turtle Heart moved on with his story. "I had two metal rods that I had sharpened, but they weren't much use against swords. I lost both of them, and most of a finger, to a soldier." He held up his left hand, where the pinky finger had been cut down to a small stump.

"It was total chaos. The shooting and the screaming just overwhelmed you. You didn't know who you were fighting, whether they were your friends or your enemies. Got two bullets in my leg, one in my arm, and sword slashes everywhere. I don't know how I managed to survive without any armor on."

"We were fighting down to the edge of the river, and the forest was on fire. I had grabbed a sword from a dead soldier when I heard the screaming of a kid. A soldier had one of the young boys, and he was slicing his ears off. Thirteen, that boy was. Called himself Ned. I ran towards them and sliced into the soldier's arm. He had on some sort of armor, though, so it probably only gave him a bruise. That soldier stood up and pulled out a pistol. He shot Ned in the head, then aimed the gun at me. We looked into each other's eyes. I won't ever forget the look in his eyes- they were calm and unfeeling."

"I did the only thing that I could do: I threw the sword at him and then tackled him. The gun went off, but I managed to take him with me into the river. The water was deep, but I could still swim. I let go of the soldier and he tried to grab onto my leg. But I kicked him off, and I watched him sink because of that stupid armor he was carrying."

"Then I realized how much blood was in the water, and I looked down and saw a hole right here." He tapped the area under his collarbone, where a large shiny scar radiated out like a starburst. "I don't even know how I got to the other side, but I remember climbing up onto the bank and collapsing. The next thing I knew, I woke up and was surrounded by people. Some were wounded fighters, like me, and others I had never seen before."

"They told me that the rebellion had failed, and that most of the debt slaves had been killed. I wanted to go back and try to find you or your parents, but they told me that there was a price on my head. I'm wanted dead or alive by the Wizard himself, for civil disobedience, inciting violence, plus the deaths of who knows how many soldiers." He chuckled sadly.

I stared at Turtle Heart, then looked down at my knees. I could hear the guilt in Turtle Heart's voice, hear how the memories had haunted him as well. And, even though there was still a tiny part of me that hated him, I knew that he had had no choice.

We sat in silence for a long time, the raft still moving quietly through the water. Finally, Fiyero spoke up. "So what have you been doing between then and now?" Turtle Heart smiled and pulled the raft to a stop in a clearing surrounded by half-drowned willow trees. He stepped off and I gasped, expecting him to disappear into the water. Instead, he stood on top of the water, grinning at my stunned face. "Come on," he said, holding out a hand for me.

I hesitated for a second, then grabbed his hand and stepped off the raft. Placing my foot onto the water, I felt it find something solid. I hugged the Grimmerie against my chest as I took my other foot off the raft and stood unsupported on the water. Turtle Heart made sure that I was OK, then reached out for Fiyero.

Fiyero's eyes goggled at the sight of people walking on water, and he flat out refused to leave the raft. "I'm going to sink!" he yelled at me as I glared at him.

"Fiore, if I'm not sinking, you're not going to sink," I said as Fiyero peeked over the edge of the raft.

"Well, I'm not you," was his retort. Turtle Heart and I exchanged glances, then we both shrugged and grabbed Fiyero. He kicked and fought, slamming a hand into my shoulder and his head into Turtle Heart's chin, but we wrestled him to a standing position next to us. He kept his eyes closed, refusing to open them and move until I threatened to reverse the spell I had cast under the Quoxwood tree. Finally, he opened them, and they widened as he realized that we were standing on a walkway of stone that lay just underneath the surface.

"This way," said Turtle Heart, and we followed him carefully along the path. It felt so bizarre to walk where there was no path, and I could tell that Fiyero felt the same way. More time passed, then, suddenly, I could see light in the distance. We made our way closer, and there, hidden to everyone but us, was a set of stair. Climbing up, we stood on the edge of a clearing.

In that clearing stood a village. Several long buildings were built on stilts, and some smaller houses clustered around them. Torches lit the clearing, and people were walking and talking and moving about the buildings. As I looked closer, I realized something

"That's Udo!" I exclaimed, watching a woman laugh with several others. "She escaped from the estate two years ago! And Ben and Marin! They were going to be sold last year, so they ran away as well!"

Turtle Heart beamed at me as I turned to him, a look of stunned disbelief on my face. "You and Fiyero are safe now," he said, "safe and free."

"Welcome to the Underground."

* * *

**So that wasn't really a cliffie, but I'm still going to threaten you. REVIEW OR I WILL FORCE YOU TO DO MY AP STATISTICS HOMEWORK! MWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!**


End file.
